The Little Hero of Haarlem

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The little hero of Haarlem. A long way off across
the ocean, there is a little country where the ground
is lower than the level of the sea, instead of
higher as it is here. Of course, the water would
run in and cover the land and houses if something
were not done to keep it out. But something is done.
The people built great thick walls all around the country,

(00:22):
and the walls keep the sea out. You see how
much depends on those walls, the good crops, the houses,
and even the safety of the people. Even the small
children in that country know that an accident to one
of those walls is a terrible things. These walls are
really great banks, as wide as roads, and they are
called dikes. Once there was a little boy who lived

(00:46):
in that country, whose name was Hans. One day he
took his little brother out along by the dike to play.
They went a long way out of town and came
to where there were no houses, but ever so many
flowers in green fields. By and by. Hans climbed up
on the dike and sat down. The little brother was
playing about at the foot of the bank. Suddenly the

(01:09):
little brother called out, Oh, what a funny little hole
it bubbles hole where said Hans. Here in the bank,
said the little brother. Water's in it? What said Hans?
And he slid down as fast as he could where
his little brother was playing. There was the tiniest little
hole in the bank, just an air hole. A drop

(01:31):
of water bubbled slowly through. It's a hole in the dike,
cried Hans. What shall we do? He looked around, not
a person or a house in sight. He looked at
the hole the little drops oozed steadily through. He knew
that the water would soon break a great gap, because
that tiny hole gave it a chance. The town was

(01:53):
so far away. If they ran for help, it would
be too late. What should he do? Once more he looked.
The hole was larger now and the water was trickling.
Suddenly a thought came to Hans. He stuck his little
forefinger right into the hole, where it fitted tight, and
he said to his little brother, run dating go to

(02:16):
town and tell the man there's a hole in the dike.
Tell them I will keep it stopped until they get here.
The little brother knew by Hans's face that something very
serious was the matter, and he started for the town
as fast as his legs could run. Hans kneeling with
his finger in the hole, watched him grow smaller and
smaller as he got farther away. Pretty soon he was

(02:40):
as small as a chicken. Then he was only a speck.
Then he was out of sight. Hans was alone, squatted
on the ground with his finger tight in the bank.
He could hear the water slap slap slap on the stones,
and deep down under the slapping was a gurgling, rumbling sound.

(03:02):
It seemed very near by and by his hand began
to feel numb. He rubbed it with the other hand,
but it got colder and more numb, colder and more
numb every minute. He looked to see if the men
were coming. The road was bare as far as he
could see. Then the cold began creeping, creeping up his arm,

(03:29):
first his wrist, then his arm to the elbow, then
his arm to his shoulder. How cold it was, and
soon it began to ache ugly. Little cramp pains streamed
up his finger, up his palm, up his arm till
it ached way into his shoulder and down the back
of his neck. It seemed hours since the little brother

(03:52):
went away. He felt very lonely, and the hurt in
his arm grew and grew. He watched the road with
all his eyes, but no one came in sight. Then
he leaned his head against the dike to rest his shoulder.
As his ear touched the dike, he heard the voice
of the great Sea murmuring. The sound seemed to say,

(04:14):
I am the Great Sea. No one can stand against me.
What are you a little child that you tried to
keep me out? Beware? Beware? Hans's heart beat in heavy knocks.
Would they never come? He was frightened, and the water
went on beating at the wall and murmuring. I will

(04:37):
come through. I will come through. I will get you,
I will get you. Run run before I come through.
Hans started to pull out his finger. He was so
frightened that he felt as if he must run forever.
But that minute he remembered how much depended on him.

(04:57):
If he pulled out his finger, the water would surely
make the hole bigger, and at last break down the dike,
and the sea would come in on all the land
and houses. He set his teeth and stuck his finger
tighter than ever. You shall not come through, he whispered,
I will not run. Just as he thought it, he

(05:17):
heard a far off shout. Far in the distance, he
saw a black something on the road and dust. The
men were coming. At last, they were coming. They came
nearer fast, and he could make out his own father
and the neighbors. They had pickaxes and shovels, and they
were running, and as they ran they shouted, we're coming,

(05:39):
Take heart, we're coming. And next minute it seemed they
were there. And when they saw Hans, with his pale
face and his hand tight in the dike, they gave
a great cheer, just as people do for soldiers back
from war, and they lifted him up and rubbed his
aching arm with tender hands, and they told him that
he was a real hero, and that he had saved

(05:59):
the When the men had mended the dike, they marched
home like an army, and Hans was carried high on
their shoulders because he was a hero. And to this
day the people of Harlem tell the story of how
a little boy saved the dike, and of best stories
to tell to children. By Sarah Cone Bryant, The Little

(06:23):
Hero of Harlem